Colon manipulator



y 1961 c. WIEDERMAN 2,985,171

COLON MANIPULATOR Filed Dec. 8, 1958 FIG. 3.

INVEN TOR. C/MEZES W/EDERW H40 BY 46 45 FIG] ATTOR/VEX United StatesPatent 0. mg

Patented May 23.1961

COLON MANIPULATOR Charles Wiederman, 1025 McBridge St., Far Rockaway,N.Y.

Filed Dec. '8, 1958, Ser. No. 778,786

Claims. (Cl. 128-341) This invention relates to colon manipulators, Itis particularly directed to a device for aiding bowel movement and toact on impacted fecal matter.

An object of this invention is to provide a highly im proved device ofthe character described, which may be attached to a toilet seat, whichshall have means for pressing upwardly on a buttock of a user to applypressure to the colon, acting on compacted fecal matter and helpingpress it out of the rectum. Such a device is for persons suffering fromconstipation and helps to start the bowel movement.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described, having means to clamp a sheet of tissue to thedevice for covering the same to keep it in clean condition.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged anddurable device of the character described, which will be relativelyinexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, and yet practical and efficientto a v high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown an illustrativeembodiment of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying the invention attachedto a toilet seat;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with apiece of tissue folded over said device;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top perspective view of the device shown removed from thetoilet seat;

Fig. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the device shown removed from thetoilet seat;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the clamp for the tissue;and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7--7 of Fig. 6.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a colonmanipulator mounted on a toilet seat 11. The toilet seat may be of anyusual construction, and may be annular, as shown, or divided at thefront. The toilet seat 11 has a fiat bottom surface 12 and atransversely curved top surface 13. The 'rear of the toilet seat issomewhat wider, as shown at 14. The device 10 may be made of syntheticplastic, wood, or any other suitable material. It may be made as amolding or casting, if desired.

Said device 10 is formed, at its underside, with a groove 15 to receivea portion of the toilet seat adjacent the rear end 14. Groove 15 islongitudinally curved and becomes wider from front to rear. Said device10 is preferably placed on the left side of the toilet seat, near saidwider rear portion 14. Said member 10 thus comprises a top portion 16overlying the groove 15. At the rear inner side of top wall 16 is aportion 16a overlyingpart of the rear wider portion of the toilet seat.At one side of top portion 16 is a downwardly curved outer portion '17following the longitudinal curvature of the toilet seat. Extending fromthe downwardly curved portion 17 is a bottom, inwardly extending,longitudinally curved, flange 18 to engage the underside 12 of thetoilet seat. Extending from the opposite or inner side of the top wall16 is a downwardly extending portion 19, from which extends an arm 20.

Arm 20 has an undersurface 21, which should be substantially in theplane of the undersurface 12 of the toilet seat, or in the plane of theupper surface 18a of the flange 18. The front edge 23 of the arm 20 maybe disposed in a fiat vertical plane which forms a continuation of thefront edge 24 of the top wall 16, outer wall 17 and flange 18. However,the inner and rear ends of the arm 20, forming a curve indicated in thedrawing at 26, merge with the rear edge 27 of the top Wall 16. The edges24 and 27 may be parallel. Thus the arm 20 has a greater radial extentat its front side. Extending upwardly from the inner end of the arm 20,and extending from the edge 23 rearwardly, partially along the curvededge 26, is an elongated finger 30, or contact which runs from front torear as shown in Fig. l of the drawing, and rearwardly of the center ofthe seat opening. Finger 30 has a downwardly and outwardly bevelledinner surface 30a. The bevel 30a is at an angle sufiicient to permit thewaste matter to pass the device freely, avoiding making contact as muchas is possible. It will be noted that device 10 is easily removable fromand attachable to the toilet seat.

Attached to the underside of the arm 20 is a spring clamp 40. The springclamp 40 comprises a clamp jaw 41, which may be screwed to said arm byscrews or other fastening members 42. Hinged to jaw 41, in the mannerhereinafter explained, is a movable jaw 46. Jaw 46 has a handle 47extending on one side towards the inner end of member 10.

Jaw 46 has side walls 45 formed with openings 45a receiving pintles 41aon jaw 41 to pivot jaw 46 to jaw 41. Between jaw 41 and the underside ofarm 20 is a bar 48 attached to said arm by a central screw 48a. Theouter ends of bar 48 act as springs and can move slightly relative tosaid arm 20 and jaw 41. Side walls 45 have cam edges 45b and 45c toselectively hold jaw 46 in open or closed position, By pressing againstthe handle 47, the jaw 46 may be opened to receive one end 50 of a pieceof tissue 51 between the jaws. The handle 47 may then be pulled and thejaws closed, and the tissue may then be folded around the top ofmanipulator 10 to overlie the same, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The patient or user, sitting on the toilet seat, will have the finger orcontact presser 30 pressing upwardly against his buttock on the leftside toward the mid-section where the colon is situated. Such pressureseems to apply pressure against the colon. A person sulfering fromconstipation very often has a very hard stool and cannot start the bowelmovement. Such a person using this device can start the bowel movementby helping impacted fecal matter to move without any painful discomfortto the person as is experienced in such cases without the use of an aid.The person sitting on the toilet seat could make side movements of thebody to help manipulation. It has been found that such pressure willoften press the hard fecal matter out of the colon, and thus help anormal bowel movement. The arm 20 will have some resiliency so as not tohurt the user, or make him uncomfortable. With the use of this devicecathartics would be disposed with, as such could be harmful.

When the device is properly placed on the toilet seat the lip or flange18 is an important feature, as it has a tendency to support the armextension so that the device acts as a lever. The groove 15 is widertoward the rear so that the device may be placed on the middle of thetoilet seat and then moved rearwardly to engage the flange without theunderside of the seat. The wider portion 16a of the device rests partlyon the rear part of the toilet seat to release the leverage of the arm29. After the user has passed the impacted fecal matter, the user simplyraises the left part of his body by leaning over to the rightsufliciently to permit him to lift the manipulator off the toilet seat.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an apparatus in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adaptedto meet the condition of practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and asvarious changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it isto be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A colon manipulator, comprising a one piece member having means fordetachable attachment to a toilet seat and an integral rigid armextending radially inwardly of the toilet seat attachment means, andsaid arm being provided with an upwardly extending finger to projectupwardly against the buttock of a user, said device being formed with agroove at its underside to receive part of the toilet seat and with aflange to engage beneath the outer side of the toilet seat, incombination with clamp ing means at the underside of said member forclamping 4 engagement with one end or a tissue adapted to be folded oversaid device. 7

2. The combination of claim 1, said clamping means including a pair ofjaws and means to selectively retain the jaws in open position and inclosed position.

3. A colon manipulator comprising a. one piece member provided with aportion formed with a longitudinally curved groove at its underside toreceive part of a toilet seat, said member having a flange at its outerside to engage beneath the outer side of the toilet seat, and saidmember being formed with an integral arm extending radially inwardlyfrom said portion, and formed at its end with an upwardly extendingfinger, said arm having a thinned portion between said finger and saidfirst portion, said finger being longitudinally and transversely curved,said finger having a downwardly and outwardly bevelled inner surface.

4. The combination of claim 3, said groove being longitudinally curvedand widening from front to rear.

5. A colon manipulator comprising a one piece member provided withaportion formed with a longitudinally curved groove at its underside toreceive part of a toilet seat, said member having a flange at its outersideto engage beneath the outer side of the toilet seat, and said memberbeing formed with an integral arm extending radially inwardly from saidportion, and formed atits end with an upwardly extending finger, saidarm having a thinned portion between said finger and said first portion,said finger having a downwardly and outwardly bevelled inner surface.

References Cited in the file" of this patent UN' ITED STATES PATENTS

